Pennsylvania's Lou Barletta at the forefront as House pushes back against Obama's immigration actions.

WASHINGTON — The Republican-led U.S. House pushed back against President Barack Obama's recent immigration actions Wednesday, with Pennsylvania Rep. Lou Barletta at the forefront of an effort to curtail deportation relief for those in the country illegally.

House lawmakers approved a spending bill that would provide $40 billion for the Department of Homeland Security's operations, as well as block the president's plan to allow up to 4 million immigrants to remain in the country.

Barletta, whose 11th District includes parts of Carbon County, helped draft the amendment barring money from being used to carry out those deportation changes.

It also would prohibit immigration officers from carrying out directions in a series of Obama administration memos, which prioritized deporting serious felons and repeat offenders over longtime residents.

"In the United States, we still have a legislative branch of government, and our amendment defends it," Barletta said.

The other chamber in that legislative branch, though, is expected to be less enthusiastic about the House's response on immigration.

"The Senate is going to send back a bill different than this one," said Republican Rep. Charlie Dent, whose 15th District includes Lehigh County and much of Northampton County.

While Dent also backed the amendment from Barletta, Alabama Rep. Robert Aderholt and South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney, he opposed a GOP amendment to end a program that allows some people who were brought to the United States illegally as children to remain in the country.

Some 27,000 people in Pennsylvania either are eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or could be in the future, according to the Migration Policy Institute.

An additional 55,000 are estimated to be eligible for deportation relief under Obama's recent actions, which would expand a childhood arrival program and offer protections to some parents of legal U.S. residents.

Dent said the amendment to end the childhood arrival program "went too far." Children in that program did not choose to be brought to the Unite States, he said, yet would be penalized for coming forward if the program were rolled back.

Dent was among 26 Republicans who objected to that provision, which was narrowly approved. Two southeastern Pennsylvania Republicans — freshman Ryan Costello of the 6th District and Pat Meehan of the 7th District — also voted no.

Dent, a member of the Appropriations Committee, emphasized that the House needed to approve a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security. That agency was only paid for through February, and not the full fiscal year, so congressional Republicans upset by Obama's immigration actions would have a say.

The bill sent to the Senate on Wednesday would provide enough money for the rest of the budget year.

But Barletta and others focused on the immigration provisions, which he described as a significant step on an issue that he has spoken out on since he was mayor of Hazleton. He drew national attention there for pushing a local ordinance that would have punished businesses for hiring unauthorized immigrants.

"I joined this battle a long time ago, and this is the farthest along that we've ever moved the cause," Barletta said, adding that further steps are needed to ensure that the country's borders are secure and its immigration laws are being enforced.

The White House has threatened to veto the bill if it reaches the president's desk with provisions that reverse the administration's immigration actions. Senate leaders haven't announced their plans for the bill, which is expected to be a discussion topic at the GOP retreat Thursday and Friday in Hershey.

A spokeswoman for Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., said he is supportive of defunding the executive action on immigration, but that he wants to review the changes added by the House.

Barletta said it's important for the House to show the president it disapproves of his actions, regardless of what the Senate may do.

"I believe this was a good bill, and it's now up to the Senate to do their work," he said.